Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 13: Chapter 12 First Encounter

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Under the night sky, the streets of Yujing were bustling with activity, full of bustling crowds and traffic, with clusters of lanterns hanging high, illuminating the entire Yujing City.

Passersby were carrying knives and swords, exuding a fervent aura.

Groups of three City Guard soldiers in black robes patrolled continuously among the crowd.

The cries of merchants from shops and stalls were incessant on both sides, and groups of pedestrians laughed and chatted as they walked, each enjoying their own.

Guo Chi and eight others formed a circle, protecting Chu Zhiyuan in the middle.

Chu Zhiyuan walked leisurely, activating the Dragon Transformation Technique with each step, striving to quickly master the first layer and then begin the Qi Cleansing Technique.

He was relieved as he hadn’t noticed anyone following him.

It seemed the Military Suppression Department had already dealt with the trackers.

Truly worthy of being the Military Suppression Department.

——

Liuyun Building had three floors, with three-tiered gates and flying eaves on each tier, exuding a grand and magnificent aura akin to piercing the sky.

From afar, one could see it standing in the night sky, brightly lit, with music and laughter drifting out, like a heavenly palace.

Chu Zhiyuan, in a white mink coat, with a jade pendant at his waist and a hat adorned with white jade, walked with ease, emanating elegance and nobility.

When Guo Chi and his eight companions arrived at Liuyun Building, four experts from the Military Suppression Department were already waiting there.

A middle-aged man in a gray robe approached, cupping his fist, ”Are you the Fourth Prince?”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

”The Director has been awaiting your arrival, Your Highness, please.” The middle-aged man in gray robes bowed and led the way.

Zou Fang stepped forward.

He didn’t bring the White Jade Dust Brush to conceal his identity, wearing a blue robe, with a clean-shaven face, resembling a wealthy gentleman.

Chu Zhiyuan followed, with Feng Xi guarding behind him.

Guo Chi did not move, leading the eight Prince Mansion Guards to hide in the shadows.

Chu Zhiyuan walked slowly up the stairs, already having seen the entire scene of Liuyun Building, noting each person and feeling each presence.

His attention quickly focused on a room on the third floor.

The window of that room on the third floor faced the main street outside, allowing half of Phoenix Street to be seen from within.

Sitting in a Taishi Chair near the window was a middle-aged man with a face as beautiful as Crown Jade, scanning the document in his hand with a solemn expression.

In a sky blue robe, with a snow-white longsword, he appeared spotless from head to toe.

Sitting upright like a sturdy pine, with refined eyebrows and bright eyes, his gaze was sharp and piercing, exuding a chilling aura.

In Chu Zhiyuan’s view, three feet above the man’s head in the void, a white crane stood on one leg, its body spotlessly white, with a red crown, beak long like a sword.

The white crane would occasionally flutter, as if ready to fly away at any moment.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered.

This Grandmaster should be Jiang Qiuge.

Four middle-aged men in black robes guarded the staircase on the third floor, their expressions solemn, their eyes sweeping over Chu Zhiyuan and the others like cold lightning.

Chu Zhiyuan sighed inwardly: Another four Grandmasters, what a grand display by Director Jiang.

This is the power of authority; it’s indeed alluring.

The third floor was composed of elegant private rooms with excellent soundproofing; once the door was closed, outsiders couldn’t see or hear what was happening inside.

The middle-aged man in gray robes led him to the outside of a room.

A girl in green stood at the door, with stunning features and a lithe figure like a willow in the gentle breeze, standing still yet seemingly swaying gracefully.

The middle-aged man cupped his fists, ”Miss Huang.”

The girl in green nodded slightly, performing a curtsey to Chu Zhiyuan, speaking softly, ”Your Highness, the Director has been awaiting you for quite some time, please follow me.”

Chu Zhiyuan nodded, gesturing to Zou Fang and Feng Xi.

He was surprised, realizing that this girl in green, who seemed about his age, was already at Innate Perfection.

He himself possessed Super Sense and the Miracle Technique from Mingwu Hall. Did the girl in green also have some abnormal skill to aid and accelerate her cultivation?

The world is indeed full of hidden talents.

Initially, he thought Jiang Qiuge was formidable enough, but in terms of cultivation talent, this girl in green seemed even stronger by threefold.

Chu Zhiyuan stepped into the room.

The elegant middle-aged man put down his document, rose, cupping his fist with a smile, ”My apologies for not welcoming you sooner, Fourth Prince.”

”Director Jiang, no need for formalities.” Chu Zhiyuan replied with a cupped fist.

Both smiled, yet each could sense the other’s calm gaze, as if quietly observing and examining each other.

”Please, Your Highness.” Jiang Qiuge gestured.

The two sat down, with Chu Zhiyuan taking the Taishi Chair opposite the round table.

The sandalwood round table could seat a dozen people, the two sat far apart.

The girl in green brought tea, then stood aside to serve.

After sitting down, they exchanged a few pleasantries.

Jiang Qiuge smiled warmly, like a spring breeze, without a hint of arrogance.

Chu Zhiyuan was also gentle and composed, without putting on airs as a princely heir.

The atmosphere in the room was harmonious, with both host and guest enjoying their conversation.

After a moment, Chu Zhiyuan picked up the teacup and took a small sip, then set it down, looking seriously at Jiang Qiuge, ”Did Director Jiang capture those suspicious individuals?”

Jiang Qiuge replied seriously, ”Your Highness played a vital role this time; I have already submitted a merit request to the Auditing Department.”

”What kind of people are they?”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Seeking assistance from the Military Suppression Department for this reason as well.

The Military Suppression Department is extremely strict and fair with merits; they may be lenient in other aspects, but not when it comes to merits.

Unlike the Central Administration Department.

Jiang Qiuge replied seriously, ”Have you ever heard of the Yuding Sect, Your Highness?”

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

”They are the evil disciples of Yuding Sect. How did Your Highness discover them?”

”My cultivation isn’t strong, but I have a sensitivity greater than most, perhaps a kind of intuitive sense.”

”That’s a rare gift, with it, Your Highness will be safe.”

”Compared to cultivation, it’s insignificant,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, then said seriously, ”What exactly is this Yuding Sect?”

”Yuding Sect is a top-tier Evil Sect, with Great Grandmasters in its ranks, once eradicated by the Military Suppression Department in collaboration with the Four Great Sects and six major factions. It’s surprising that thirty years later, it could still revive!”

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

It was an affair of thirty years ago, before he was born.

However, being an Evil Sect, it is indeed troublesome.

An Evil Sect is different from a Demon Sect.

So-called Demon Sects, similar to Yao Yue Palace or Wuyou Sect, act with both righteousness and evil; their cultivation techniques lead to impulsiveness, with occasional criminal behavior, but rarely involving human lives.

Evil Sects are entirely different.

He had heard it mentioned by Zou Fang before.

The Evil Sects operate completely devoid of humanity.

Their actions are unimaginably cruel and bloody, deserving death a thousand times over.

The evilness of an Evil Sect stems from its cultivation techniques.

By practicing such techniques, one naturally becomes indifferent, numbed, and cruel, gradually losing their humanity and viewing human lives as trivial.

Yet, the Yuding Sect, even after being jointly eradicated, survived and revived, indicating their extreme cunning and strength.

Being targeted by such an Evil Sect is truly troublesome.

Even with protection from three Grandmasters, it couldn’t assure his safety.

Thinking of this, his expression darkened.

Jiang Qiuge seemed to perceive Chu Zhiyuan’s concerns and smiled, ”Rest assured, Your Highness, they’ve been eradicated in one fell swoop.”

”This nest has been taken down, but aren’t there other nests? Scouring them completely won’t be so easy... Why were they tracking me?”

Jiang Qiuge’s expression darkened, he replied slowly, ”To kill Your Highness.”

”Revenge?” Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

Revenge for the eradication?

”When the Court personally combined with major sects to eliminate Yuding Sect, it wasn’t solely because it was an evil sect.”

”Were there other reasons?”

”Yuding Sect had a cultivation technique called the Dragon Ascension Technique, a miraculous technique for breaking barriers. Allegedly, by consuming the essence blood of ten royal disciples, one could break the innate barrier and become a grandmaster; consuming the essence blood of a hundred royal disciples could break the grandmaster barrier and ascend to become a Great Grandmaster.”

”Hahaha!” Chu Zhiyuan laughed.

This was utterly absurd.

He had read extensive Martial Arts Notes from Great Grandmasters and Grandmasters, gaining a deeper and broader understanding of martial arts.

He had a profound understanding of the four realms and three barriers; breaking these barriers couldn’t rely on external forces. The innate and grandmaster barriers are invisible yet substantial, beyond the reach of external forces, whereas the Great Grandmaster barrier is intangible and insubstantial, impossible to breach.

This Dragon Ascension Technique supposedly breaking the grandmaster barrier, he found hard to judge, but claiming it could break the Great Grandmaster barrier was certainly fraudulent.

Such absurd claims could only fool the ignorant.

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